Webb Simpson shoots 64 after slow start to PGA

Webb Simpson shoots 64 after slow start to PGA


.

View gallery

.

.

.
RACHEL COHEN (AP Sports Writer) August 9, 2013AP - Sports








PITTSFORD, N.Y. (AP) -- Webb Simpson shot a 72 on Thursday that felt like a 64.

Then he went out and shot an actual 64.

Simpson, who was at 5 over after his first eight holes of thePGA Championship, surged into contention Friday by tying the course record at Oak Hill - only for it to be broken a few hours later. With a 6-under 64 in the morning, he was at 4 under overall, five strokes behind Jason Dufner, who matched the mark for a major with a 63 in the afternoon.

Simpson didn't know the course record, but he was almost positive that 63 was the standard for a major. And when he made four birdies in five holes to reach 7 under with three to play, he couldn't help but fantasize about history.

''I made the turn - I'm still trying to make the cut. It's amazing how a day like today, you go from outside the cut line, to just in, to going for the all-time major record,'' Simpson said. ''It's a big swing of emotions. But the mind is powerful, so I was just trying to not think about it and just stay kind of in my rhythm.''


The 2012 U.S. Open champion had five bogeys and a double bogey through eight holes in his first round. He gave himself a little pep talk on the seventh green.

''I said, 'If I have any chance in this golf tournament, any chance at all just to contend, I have to be patient the rest of the day,''' he recalled. ''I wanted to get mad. Wanted to throw clubs and do all that, but it wasn't going to help anything.''

He followed his own advice with four birdies on the back nine, including one on No. 18 to end the day with confidence cresting.

As the rain let up Friday, Simpson made three birdie putts of about 10-12 feet on his back nine. A 35-footer on No. 5 gave him an inkling something special might be happening.

And a conundrum.
View gallery."
Webb Simpson reacts after missing a birdie putt on the eighth hole during the second round of the PG …

''It's so hard because, on one hand, you want to go for it. You want to go for the record,'' Simpson said. ''But you can't do that on a golf course this hard.''

He needed to stay patient and conservative.

''This game is so funny - when you try to make birdies, it seems like you don't,'' he said. ''It was there. It's like the elephant in the room.''

One of his playing partners, Angel Cabrera, withdrew because of a wrist injury after 11 holes, and Simpson said that helped in the wet weather by giving him more time between shots.

He slipped back to 6 under with a bogey on No. 7 after his second shot got tangled in the branches of one of the towering trees lining the hole. The ball came down in rough so deep Simpson had to ask a spectator where it landed.
View gallery."
Webb Simpson celebrates after a birdie on the sixth hole during the second round of the PGA Champion …

After just missing birdie putts on his last two holes, Simpson learned he tied the record first set by Ben Hogan in 1942 and matched by Curtis Strange at the 1989 U.S. Open. It would later be lowered by Dufner with soft conditions yielding low scores.

Sharp-shooting Rose charges into contention

Sharp-shooting Rose charges into contention

August 9, 2013







.

View gallery
England's Justin Rose tees off on the seventh hole during the second round of the 2013 PGA Championship …


ROCHESTER, New York (Reuters) - Chock full of confidence less than two months after capturing a maiden major title, Justin Rose used a spectacular inward nine to surge into contention at the PGA Championship on Friday.

Rose, who became the first Englishman in 43 years to win the U.S. Open in June, shot an inward nine of 29 at a rain-soaked Oak Hill country Club to complete a six-under 66 that left him two strokes back of clubhouse leader Jason Dufner (63).

The 33-year-old believes no longer having to chase his first major makes him even more dangerous as a contender in golf's four elite championships.

"It's wonderful to be in this situation right now, talking about having (won a major); talking about feeling like you can win more, believing in yourself, not talking about how I hope it could happen this week," Rose told reporters. "So I think that alone makes it easier."

After good friend and playing partner Adam Scott enjoyed his own breakthrough major victory at the Masters earlier this year, he sent a text message to Rose insisting "this is our time".

Perhaps taking the lead from Australian Scott, who altered his training schedule with a focus on being in top form for golf's four majors, Rose adopted a similar mindset.

"I'm getting to that point now this year where I've really focused on my preparation and come into them really, really focusing on them, trying to peak for them," said Rose.


"When you're not 100 percent ready to win majors, every week is a big week, but then I feel like you get your game to a point where you're trying to make sure it's ready four times a year."

Rose, who tied for 25th at the Masters in April and missed the cut at last month's British Open, heads into the weekend in prime position to capture another major thanks to a flawless finish to a round that opened in driving rain.

Two over for the day through nine holes after mixing three bogeys with a birdie, Rose turned on the jets as the rain stopped and navigated his way home with incredible precision.

He kickstarted his game into high gear, one-putting eight of his final nine holes and carding six birdies along the way.

His playing group also included British Open champion Phil Mickelson, a five-time major winner who was 33 years old when he enjoyed his major breakthrough at the Masters.

For Rose, who considers the 43-year-old American one of the game's greats, seeing Mickelson enjoy such success in the later stages of his career is inspiring.

"It's motivating to know that you can still build that kind of career in your 30s," said Rose. "But at the same time, you know, you understand how hard it is."

(Reporting by Frank Pingue; Editing by Mark Lamport-Stokes)

Simpson ties Oak Hill record on 'great day'

Simpson ties Oak Hill record on 'great day'

PGA.COM August 9, 2013







.

View gallery
“I was extremely happy with my game today," saidWebb Simpson of his 6-under 64.(Edward M. Pio Roda/Turner …


By T.J. Auclair, PGA.com Interactive Producer

ROCHESTER, N.Y. - Webb Simpson tied the course record at Oak Hill Country Club with a 6-under 64 in the second round of the 95th PGA Championship on Friday.

The 64, along with Thursday's opening round of 2-over 72, had Simpson at 4-under 136 through 36 holes and well within the top 10 after the second round's morning wave.

"It was a great day," said Simpson, who joined Ben Hogan and Curtis Strange as the only other players to shoot 64 atOak Hill. "At 5 over through eight holes (on Thursday) it was a pretty low moment for me. But I had a pep talk with myself on the seventh green and just told myself, 'one hole at a time,' and tried to get a birdie here, a birdie there and somehow played the last 10 or 11 holes under par. I was able to do that and I birdied 18 yesterday, which was huge for my confidence. Two over felt like a 64 yesterday after being 5 over.

"So, I was extremely happy with my game today. All around, it was really solid. I made some great putts, made some good par putts to keep the momentum going. It's a special feeling to have tied the course record at Oak Hill."

Simpson, the 2012 U.S. Open champ, really got things started on the right foot with back-to-back birdies out of the gate on Friday, while playing through a steady rain for much of the round.

Playing the back nine first, Simpson hit his approach shot on the 10th hole to within 10 feet to set up a short birdie putt. At the next hole, he drained a 15-footer for birdie.

Another birdie at the short, par-4 14th hole brought Simpson to 3 under through five holes.

Things really started cooking on the front nine. He birdied Nos. 2, 3 and 6 on putts inside of 12 feet and made a 35-footer at No. 5 for another birdie.


For some time, Simpson thought he might be able to shoot a 62, which would have been a new record score for a major championship.

"I was thinking about it once I birdied No. 6," Simpson admitted. "I was thinking about the all-tie major record, and I was about 99 percent sure it was 63. It's so hard because on one hand, you want to go for it. You want to go for the record. But you can't do that on a golf course this hard and I wasn't doing that at any point today. I was trying to be patient and trying to be conservative."

Simpson's only bogey Friday came at the par-4 seventh hole. Though he hit the fairway with his tee shot, Simpson clipped a tree with his approach that led to the bogey.

Since winning the U.S. Open at Olympic Club last June, Simpson has yet to win again. He came close in April, losing to Graeme McDowell in a playoff at the Heritage. Even still, he's had a consistent 2013 season, having compiled four top-10 finishes in 19 starts.

"I didn't know what to expect, but I feel like the transition to being a major champion was smooth," he said. "I felt like I kept playing well the rest of the summer. Yeah, I wish I could have had a victory since then, but you know, we've been working hard all year trying to get better, and I feel like I'm better.

"Someone told me that the older you get, the more special you'll realize what the U.S. Open meant and that's what it's been like," Simpson added. "Every day I've thought about it, and winning the U.S. Open has made me want to get back in contention in golf tournaments and majors all the more. It's hard to believe that was over a year ago."

So how does Simpson plan on backing up the 64 in Saturday's third round?

"Well, I think if you give the course you're playing proper respect, you know and I go out tomorrow not expecting to shoot 64 again, I think I'll be in a good spot," he said. "Tomorrow is a brand new day. It's probably going to dry out a bit. I think I'll be okay with that. Not saying I'll play well, but I don't think that will affect me necessarily.

"I think it's harder when you're playing somewhere where all the scores are very low and you go out and shoot a low number. In that situation, you're trying to press and make birdies. Here, you don't really have to make birdies, as long as you're kind of hanging around par."